Climate change sceptics should not be dismissed, the Government’s chief scientific adviser has said, as he called for more openness in the global warming debate.

Prof John Beddington admitted the impact of global warming had been exaggerated by some scientists and condemned climate researchers who refused to publish data which formed the basis of their reports into global warming.

In an interview, Prof Beddington, called for a new era of honesty and responsibility from the environmental community and said scientists should be less hostile to sceptics who questioned man-made global warming.

Prof Beddington said public confidence in climate science would be boosted by greater honesty about its uncertainties.